M.L. Chesley's Blog, page 41
April 15, 2013
M Is For Magic...
I have been on the fence for days trying to decide what my M post would be. A couple other blog posts over the last week have made my decision for me. I wasn't going to talk about magic originally, but seems the cosmos has other ideas about it.
So, magic. Yep. Okay. What kind of magic are we talking about here? Are we talking about wand-waving-cool-latin-incantation type magic or just-think-about-it-release-the-energy-poof!-it's-there kind of magic?
Well, whether or not you're writing a story akin to Harry Potter or The Belgariad, magic has to have rules.
Magic without rules... not so much fun. If your magic has no rules, then why bother with anything else? All the wizards have to do is wave a wand and poof! things are done. Where is the fun in that? Oh, broke a nail. Poof! Fixed. Oh, half my guts are spilling out. Poof! It's fixed. Now where did I put my car keys? Poof! There they are.
Totally. Lame.
Now, break your wand and try to fix it with Spell-o-tape and cast a spell only to have it bounce back the caster. Epic.
Magic has to have rules. I can't stress it enough. Magic users in my world are born into it and at a certain age, they have to go to the wizard city for training. If they don't get it under control, it literally burns them up from the inside out. The energies in their bodies has to be contained and controlled.
Don't make it easy for anyone. Seriously. Have repercussions to using magic.
Okay, okay, here is something from a future book of mine in my current trilogy. It's winter, it's the beginning of a war and the troops are cold. The Mahjii offer to help out and make the troops warm all the time without fires, but something goes wrong and all the troops are now glowing. Oops. Warm, yes, but glowing. Talk about easy targets at night. Ha!
So make magic rules! This is important! Did I use enough exclamation points!? Okay! Good.
So, magic. Yep. Okay. What kind of magic are we talking about here? Are we talking about wand-waving-cool-latin-incantation type magic or just-think-about-it-release-the-energy-poof!-it's-there kind of magic?
Well, whether or not you're writing a story akin to Harry Potter or The Belgariad, magic has to have rules.
Magic without rules... not so much fun. If your magic has no rules, then why bother with anything else? All the wizards have to do is wave a wand and poof! things are done. Where is the fun in that? Oh, broke a nail. Poof! Fixed. Oh, half my guts are spilling out. Poof! It's fixed. Now where did I put my car keys? Poof! There they are.
Totally. Lame.
Now, break your wand and try to fix it with Spell-o-tape and cast a spell only to have it bounce back the caster. Epic.
Magic has to have rules. I can't stress it enough. Magic users in my world are born into it and at a certain age, they have to go to the wizard city for training. If they don't get it under control, it literally burns them up from the inside out. The energies in their bodies has to be contained and controlled.
Don't make it easy for anyone. Seriously. Have repercussions to using magic.
Okay, okay, here is something from a future book of mine in my current trilogy. It's winter, it's the beginning of a war and the troops are cold. The Mahjii offer to help out and make the troops warm all the time without fires, but something goes wrong and all the troops are now glowing. Oops. Warm, yes, but glowing. Talk about easy targets at night. Ha!
So make magic rules! This is important! Did I use enough exclamation points!? Okay! Good.
April 13, 2013
L Is For Legen (Wait-For-It) dary...
Ha! Had to get that reference in there for the show, "How I Met Your Mother" just because I can.
But I have to correct my title. L isn't for Legendary, but it is for Legends.
In fantasy world building, you have your gods and goddesses, your heroes and your sinister beings hell bent on ruling the world. Magicians and dragons, Elves and Dwarves, Knights, Lords and Ladies... (Ooh, more 'L's'!)
But you also have legends.
These can be stories passed down from generation to generation.
"History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the ring passed out of all knowledge." ~ Lord of the Rings opening narration.
Stories become history. History becomes legend. This is absolutely true. This can be events that shaped the world at the time they happened. They can be events that shaped the world later, after they happened. They can be people.
Think about some of the fantasy worlds out there that you know of. I'll give you a couple examples of books that stand out in my mind.
In "The Dragon Prince" series by Melanie Rawn, stories and history turned into traditions as well. Every few years there was a dragon hunt. Rohan was told by his father to hunt the dragons to keep the population down to protect his people.
Rohan, however, discovered the truth of why the dragons were hunted and killed. When the dragons hatched from their eggs, they spewed fire to dry out their leathery wings. But when the dragon-fire hit the eggs, they turned into gold. They weren't killing the dragons for population control, they waited until the dragons hatched to take the gold. And so dragon's gold became a legend.
In "The Belgariad" series by David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer and his daughter, Polgara were legends. Stories were told of their deeds and influences on the world. Polgara herself even admitted to involving herself in politics and wars. Even when she wasn't supposed to. But things they had done were in the history scrolls and became legendary.
So what do you have in your world that helps shape and reshape your world? Who or what in your world is considered legendary? You have the foundations of how to build legends, now go forth and be epic!
But I have to correct my title. L isn't for Legendary, but it is for Legends.
In fantasy world building, you have your gods and goddesses, your heroes and your sinister beings hell bent on ruling the world. Magicians and dragons, Elves and Dwarves, Knights, Lords and Ladies... (Ooh, more 'L's'!)
But you also have legends.
These can be stories passed down from generation to generation.
"History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the ring passed out of all knowledge." ~ Lord of the Rings opening narration.
Stories become history. History becomes legend. This is absolutely true. This can be events that shaped the world at the time they happened. They can be events that shaped the world later, after they happened. They can be people.
Think about some of the fantasy worlds out there that you know of. I'll give you a couple examples of books that stand out in my mind.
In "The Dragon Prince" series by Melanie Rawn, stories and history turned into traditions as well. Every few years there was a dragon hunt. Rohan was told by his father to hunt the dragons to keep the population down to protect his people.
Rohan, however, discovered the truth of why the dragons were hunted and killed. When the dragons hatched from their eggs, they spewed fire to dry out their leathery wings. But when the dragon-fire hit the eggs, they turned into gold. They weren't killing the dragons for population control, they waited until the dragons hatched to take the gold. And so dragon's gold became a legend.
In "The Belgariad" series by David Eddings, Belgarath the Sorcerer and his daughter, Polgara were legends. Stories were told of their deeds and influences on the world. Polgara herself even admitted to involving herself in politics and wars. Even when she wasn't supposed to. But things they had done were in the history scrolls and became legendary.
So what do you have in your world that helps shape and reshape your world? Who or what in your world is considered legendary? You have the foundations of how to build legends, now go forth and be epic!
April 12, 2013
K Is For Kings...
Ah yes, kings. Gotta have kings in our stories, because they're the only ones in fantasy half the time that have the energy, the funds and the drive to start wars.
I have lots of different kingdoms in my world. Some are small and some are large. Some are too big for their britches and the rest of the world is afraid of the power they hold.
It is a good thing for the rest of the world that the two largest kingdoms have spent ages warring with each other. While this has kept them occupied, it has also become tiresome. The final battle is about to pick up the pace, but when one of the kings is defeated, what will happen to the rest?
If the tyrannical king wins, he's sure to just walk in and take over. If the other king wins, there will be peace. Or will there?
There are lots of reasons for kings to start wars. All you have to do is look back on history and mythology. Look at Helen of Troy. Fell in love with someone else and started a war because she left her husband. "The face that launched a thousand ships..."
Can you imagine starting a war over love? Men (as in mankind... not trying to be sexist!) have fought over lesser things.
If you want your kings to fight, pick a topic, any topic. It could be over a gambling debt, if you so choose.
Kings may be rulers, but it doesn't mean they are leaders. I have a few kings who are weak, who whine about being put in their position yet do nothing about it. I have kings who do do something about it. They range from compassionate to cry babies.
So depending on the king, you could have some fun with your world or you can make it miserable for all involved.
I have lots of different kingdoms in my world. Some are small and some are large. Some are too big for their britches and the rest of the world is afraid of the power they hold.
It is a good thing for the rest of the world that the two largest kingdoms have spent ages warring with each other. While this has kept them occupied, it has also become tiresome. The final battle is about to pick up the pace, but when one of the kings is defeated, what will happen to the rest?
If the tyrannical king wins, he's sure to just walk in and take over. If the other king wins, there will be peace. Or will there?
There are lots of reasons for kings to start wars. All you have to do is look back on history and mythology. Look at Helen of Troy. Fell in love with someone else and started a war because she left her husband. "The face that launched a thousand ships..."
Can you imagine starting a war over love? Men (as in mankind... not trying to be sexist!) have fought over lesser things.
If you want your kings to fight, pick a topic, any topic. It could be over a gambling debt, if you so choose.
Kings may be rulers, but it doesn't mean they are leaders. I have a few kings who are weak, who whine about being put in their position yet do nothing about it. I have kings who do do something about it. They range from compassionate to cry babies.
So depending on the king, you could have some fun with your world or you can make it miserable for all involved.
April 11, 2013
J Is For Jobs...
Everyone has a job, even in fantasy. Hard work is what makes a world run. From the servant girl in the kitchens of the castle to the tailor, there is something for everyone to do.
A castle runs on the commoners who work it. The question remains, where do these people go at the end of the day? Do they have homes outside of the castle or is the castle their home? If you think about the kitchen of the castle, the people who work it are generally women. And they start before the sun rises to make sure dinner is done. Breakfast and lunch are made along the way, but they begin with dinner. Meat has to cook over fires for quite a long time, depending on what it is and how many you are feeding. Breads and pies have to be baked and cooled. Servants need to be fed as much as the King and his family and any guests that are staying over. Think of "Downton Abbey" and all the bustle to get ready for one simple meal.
Outside of the castle, you have stable boys, groomsmen, blacksmiths, tanners, weapon-smiths and guards. In the city you have tailors and bakers and innkeepers. Farmers and merchants and people who maintain the streets and keep them free of debris and human excrement. People who light lanterns at night and patrol the docks. Fishermen and traders.
There is a lot to keep a world running. You don't have to show all of this in your stories, but you have to build up an image of the area. Make sure you are including everyone from the King and Queen all the way down to the people who empty the chamber pots to make a world turn.
A castle runs on the commoners who work it. The question remains, where do these people go at the end of the day? Do they have homes outside of the castle or is the castle their home? If you think about the kitchen of the castle, the people who work it are generally women. And they start before the sun rises to make sure dinner is done. Breakfast and lunch are made along the way, but they begin with dinner. Meat has to cook over fires for quite a long time, depending on what it is and how many you are feeding. Breads and pies have to be baked and cooled. Servants need to be fed as much as the King and his family and any guests that are staying over. Think of "Downton Abbey" and all the bustle to get ready for one simple meal.
Outside of the castle, you have stable boys, groomsmen, blacksmiths, tanners, weapon-smiths and guards. In the city you have tailors and bakers and innkeepers. Farmers and merchants and people who maintain the streets and keep them free of debris and human excrement. People who light lanterns at night and patrol the docks. Fishermen and traders.
There is a lot to keep a world running. You don't have to show all of this in your stories, but you have to build up an image of the area. Make sure you are including everyone from the King and Queen all the way down to the people who empty the chamber pots to make a world turn.
April 10, 2013
I Is For Inventions...
So what do inventions have to do with fantasy, let alone fantasy world building?
Lots, actually.
Depending on what your story is like, you might have lots of "Old World" items in your fantasy setting. I'm currently reading a book that has people walking around lighting the lanterns in the street. There were some books I read where black powder was involved and people fired muskets. Steampunk involves, you guessed it, steam engines.
Personally, I don't have black powder in my fantasy world. This is a decision I made some time ago. I feel the invention of guns made the fight too easy. Hand to hand combat, in fantasy, feels more honorable to me. I know, contradiction in terms. But I have pirates. So how do I fire cannons on ships? I don't. They have small catapults and ballista anchored to the decks of the ships.
Catapults have a basket to launch a boulder, ballista look like giant crossbows. In my case, the catapults launch flaming pitch pots. The ballista have lengths of rope attached to the spear. Some have been soaked in pitch and they're lit as they're launched. Land a flaming rope over the deck of a ship and you have some serious destruction.
In Melanie Rawn's "Dragon Prince" series, there was a water clock that told the time of day. Items like these bring about a sense of familiarity. It also describes the progression from candles with notches marking the hour to actual clocks.
What if my cannons were steam powered? What if I came up with some other sort of combustible material that would launch projectiles at objects or armies? What other inventions could I think of to bring into my fantasy world that would be believable?
These are all questions you have to ask at the beginning of it all, before you set pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. What will you allow in your world and what do you draw the line at?
Lots, actually.
Depending on what your story is like, you might have lots of "Old World" items in your fantasy setting. I'm currently reading a book that has people walking around lighting the lanterns in the street. There were some books I read where black powder was involved and people fired muskets. Steampunk involves, you guessed it, steam engines.
Personally, I don't have black powder in my fantasy world. This is a decision I made some time ago. I feel the invention of guns made the fight too easy. Hand to hand combat, in fantasy, feels more honorable to me. I know, contradiction in terms. But I have pirates. So how do I fire cannons on ships? I don't. They have small catapults and ballista anchored to the decks of the ships.
Catapults have a basket to launch a boulder, ballista look like giant crossbows. In my case, the catapults launch flaming pitch pots. The ballista have lengths of rope attached to the spear. Some have been soaked in pitch and they're lit as they're launched. Land a flaming rope over the deck of a ship and you have some serious destruction.
In Melanie Rawn's "Dragon Prince" series, there was a water clock that told the time of day. Items like these bring about a sense of familiarity. It also describes the progression from candles with notches marking the hour to actual clocks.
What if my cannons were steam powered? What if I came up with some other sort of combustible material that would launch projectiles at objects or armies? What other inventions could I think of to bring into my fantasy world that would be believable?
These are all questions you have to ask at the beginning of it all, before you set pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. What will you allow in your world and what do you draw the line at?
April 9, 2013
H Is For Hierarchy...
We're one week into the A to Z challenge! Good on you all for keeping up the posts. Thanks to all who have dropped by and commented.
Also, a quick thanks to all who came by and got their free copy of my book over the weekend. It was sort of spur of the moment, but I shall do it again someday, so keep an eye out.
My theme for the challenge is world building from a to z. Feel free to leave me comments. And now that I have my link figured out, I make sure to leave it there when I comment on your blogs.
We're talking the pecking order of things here. Who rules the roost? Who does the grunt work? Who really holds the power in society?
When you are thinking of the hierarchy of any given state or kingdom, you can follow the traditional rules or make your own.
There are Kings and Queen, Princes and Princesses, Dukes and Duchesses, Earls, Counts and Countesses, Marquis, Marquesses... oh the list goes on! Lots of research if you are so inclined.
If you have a king and queen, who inherits the throne? Eldest son or eldest daughter? Or just eldest child no matter the gender? Perhaps the family is given lands and titles upon the King's passing and a new one is voted in by the commonwealth. Perhaps there is a huge festival during which Knights compete for the crown.
Of course, there is always the old favorite of starting a war and invading a kingdom to take over. Doesn't always work out so well for your soldiers, though.
These are things to think about when structuring a society in fantasy world building. Do you have a matriarchal or patriarchal society? What's the difference? Matriarchal is run by women, patriarchal is run by men. If you have more than one kingdom and each society is different, how do they maintain the peace? Do they look down on each other for their ways of doing things?
Only you can answer these questions. You'll know who holds the true power in your world!
Also, a quick thanks to all who came by and got their free copy of my book over the weekend. It was sort of spur of the moment, but I shall do it again someday, so keep an eye out.
My theme for the challenge is world building from a to z. Feel free to leave me comments. And now that I have my link figured out, I make sure to leave it there when I comment on your blogs.
We're talking the pecking order of things here. Who rules the roost? Who does the grunt work? Who really holds the power in society?
When you are thinking of the hierarchy of any given state or kingdom, you can follow the traditional rules or make your own.
There are Kings and Queen, Princes and Princesses, Dukes and Duchesses, Earls, Counts and Countesses, Marquis, Marquesses... oh the list goes on! Lots of research if you are so inclined.
If you have a king and queen, who inherits the throne? Eldest son or eldest daughter? Or just eldest child no matter the gender? Perhaps the family is given lands and titles upon the King's passing and a new one is voted in by the commonwealth. Perhaps there is a huge festival during which Knights compete for the crown.
Of course, there is always the old favorite of starting a war and invading a kingdom to take over. Doesn't always work out so well for your soldiers, though.
These are things to think about when structuring a society in fantasy world building. Do you have a matriarchal or patriarchal society? What's the difference? Matriarchal is run by women, patriarchal is run by men. If you have more than one kingdom and each society is different, how do they maintain the peace? Do they look down on each other for their ways of doing things?
Only you can answer these questions. You'll know who holds the true power in your world!
April 8, 2013
G Is For Gods & Goddesses...
That's right. Gods and Goddesses rule the realm of fantasy more often than not. Sometimes it is just one higher being or a whole plethora. Well, pantheon, if you want to be technical about it.
Gods and Goddesses can play a significant role in your world, or they can just be casual mentions. Their involvement is entirely up to you.
They can either roam the world in avatars, walking, working, living side by side with their creations. Or, they can live high above the world, looking down on what they have created, pushing people through their lives like puppet masters.
They can be cruel or loving. Generous or miserly. Full of wrath and hate for their creations or compassion.
Maybe the gods were at war and humans, Elves and Dwarves became their champions or they were just a nasty side effect of their magical battles.
In my world, their was one creator, Ioweth. He created the earth and everything in it. The other gods and goddesses came about through the power of prayer and energy. Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Ogres, whatever the race, if there was a significant need for something like protection from bandits while traveling, their plea would be heard and out of the energies of the world, a deity would be "born".
Some choose to remain apart from the world, others choose to interact. Fizanu is the goddess of Justice and her Champion is the Black Rose. She speaks to him, gave him longevity and special weapons and he makes the world a better place for those who seek justice but are unable for whatever reason to take care of it themselves.
So think about if you want your world to include deities or just one higher being and the role they play in the lives of those living on earth.
Gods and Goddesses can play a significant role in your world, or they can just be casual mentions. Their involvement is entirely up to you.
They can either roam the world in avatars, walking, working, living side by side with their creations. Or, they can live high above the world, looking down on what they have created, pushing people through their lives like puppet masters.
They can be cruel or loving. Generous or miserly. Full of wrath and hate for their creations or compassion.
Maybe the gods were at war and humans, Elves and Dwarves became their champions or they were just a nasty side effect of their magical battles.
In my world, their was one creator, Ioweth. He created the earth and everything in it. The other gods and goddesses came about through the power of prayer and energy. Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Ogres, whatever the race, if there was a significant need for something like protection from bandits while traveling, their plea would be heard and out of the energies of the world, a deity would be "born".
Some choose to remain apart from the world, others choose to interact. Fizanu is the goddess of Justice and her Champion is the Black Rose. She speaks to him, gave him longevity and special weapons and he makes the world a better place for those who seek justice but are unable for whatever reason to take care of it themselves.
So think about if you want your world to include deities or just one higher being and the role they play in the lives of those living on earth.
April 6, 2013
F Is For Fighting...
Just remember, that most of these topics are geared for Fantasy world building. So when I speak of fighting, I'm talking swords, baby!
Fighting, in fantasy, can be a huge endeavor. Especially if you are going to be moving towards battle scenes. This will consist of hundreds of people attacking at once. So remember, you don't have to give a narrative about every single soldier! Please, please don't. I'll have to put down your book, find where you live and when you answer your door, smack you upside the head.
Anyway...
Fight scenes can be very powerful and difficult to describe. You can see the movement in your mind's eye, but to capture that in so many words without boring the reader... don't tear your hair out.
First of all, you're going to be tempted to explain each tactic, stance, cool-ninja-fighting-move and by the end of it all, you're going to get so frustrated, you'll leave it out altogether. You WILL confuse your reader, who may not know all those technical fighting move names. So you are left with things like: twist, spin, reach, flick, snap and poke. Yes. Poke.
Which of these two fight scenes makes more sense?
Technical fight scene: "Kayta squared off with Trinara, each taking their favorite fighting stance. After a pause, they began. Kayta stepped forward and thrust her fencing blade towards Trinara's chest, forcing Trinara to parry and reposte. While the block was effective, it allowed Kayta to gain the upper hand, creating the botta-in-tempo. Kayta lunged again and Trinara executed a cavazione..."
Fight scene: "Trinara faced Hedric, her sword raised and ready. When Hedric gave a slight nod of his head, the two began to fight. They circled each other for a moment, not wanting to be the first to strike. Hedric decided to make a move. He took a large step forward, thrusting his fencing blade towards Trinara. She raised her sword, effectively blocking his attack. She forced him back with a shove, lightly stepped around him and flicked her sword towards his backside. Hedric spun around, twisting his blade to block her attack..."
Now, minus the added details, the second scene is "dummied down" for the reader. You're not questioning the reader's intelligence, you're just trying to make sure everyone understands the words, thus causing the story to flow. When people get hung up on words like "reposte" and "cavazione", it's going to break their reading stride.
So keep it simple when it comes to fight scenes!
Fighting, in fantasy, can be a huge endeavor. Especially if you are going to be moving towards battle scenes. This will consist of hundreds of people attacking at once. So remember, you don't have to give a narrative about every single soldier! Please, please don't. I'll have to put down your book, find where you live and when you answer your door, smack you upside the head.
Anyway...
Fight scenes can be very powerful and difficult to describe. You can see the movement in your mind's eye, but to capture that in so many words without boring the reader... don't tear your hair out.
First of all, you're going to be tempted to explain each tactic, stance, cool-ninja-fighting-move and by the end of it all, you're going to get so frustrated, you'll leave it out altogether. You WILL confuse your reader, who may not know all those technical fighting move names. So you are left with things like: twist, spin, reach, flick, snap and poke. Yes. Poke.
Which of these two fight scenes makes more sense?
Technical fight scene: "Kayta squared off with Trinara, each taking their favorite fighting stance. After a pause, they began. Kayta stepped forward and thrust her fencing blade towards Trinara's chest, forcing Trinara to parry and reposte. While the block was effective, it allowed Kayta to gain the upper hand, creating the botta-in-tempo. Kayta lunged again and Trinara executed a cavazione..."
Fight scene: "Trinara faced Hedric, her sword raised and ready. When Hedric gave a slight nod of his head, the two began to fight. They circled each other for a moment, not wanting to be the first to strike. Hedric decided to make a move. He took a large step forward, thrusting his fencing blade towards Trinara. She raised her sword, effectively blocking his attack. She forced him back with a shove, lightly stepped around him and flicked her sword towards his backside. Hedric spun around, twisting his blade to block her attack..."
Now, minus the added details, the second scene is "dummied down" for the reader. You're not questioning the reader's intelligence, you're just trying to make sure everyone understands the words, thus causing the story to flow. When people get hung up on words like "reposte" and "cavazione", it's going to break their reading stride.
So keep it simple when it comes to fight scenes!
April 5, 2013
Want My Book For Free?...
That's right! I said F-R-E-E!
I will be giving away my fantasy e-book, "Adversarius, Shadow of the Rose: Book One" for free this weekend.
So what do you have to do to get it?
Why, it's so simple!
Send me an e-mail here.
In the subject line, type in: Adversarius
That's it. Simple as can be! Check your e-mail inbox once you've sent it off and there you go.
Have a great weekend, everyone and keep on enjoying the April A-Z blog posts!
I will be giving away my fantasy e-book, "Adversarius, Shadow of the Rose: Book One" for free this weekend.
So what do you have to do to get it?
Why, it's so simple!
Send me an e-mail here.
In the subject line, type in: Adversarius
That's it. Simple as can be! Check your e-mail inbox once you've sent it off and there you go.
Have a great weekend, everyone and keep on enjoying the April A-Z blog posts!
E Is For...
Well, at the risk of sounding cliche in this world building A-Z challenge, 'E' is for Elves!
The Elven race has always intrigued me. Even though I never read Tolkien's books until much, much later in life, his perception of the race is exactly how I imagined them.
Of course, I have my differences to the race. Every fantasy author will see them differently. But for world building purposes, let's take a look at some of the differences in the fantasy genre.
ElfQuest: Wendy and Richard Pini portrayed Elves as being smaller than humans, almost the size of a child. They didn't start off that way. The "High Ones" were not just the very first Elves, they were significantly taller in stature. They had a thumb and three fingers, they could speak telepathically, (called "sending") and if and when they discovered their true Life Mate, the term for discovering them was "Recognized". Each would Recognize the other's soul or "true self". Their existence was explained as a "spaceship" crash.
Tolkien: The Elves in Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" are magical beings. Fair haired, graceful beings. Some with dark hair. They didn't vary much in color or stature. They looked like any other human being with pointy ears being the only exception to their appearance. They did not feel cold or intoxication. They were light of foot, as displayed by Legolas' walking on top of snow or lightly leaping from the ship in "Return of the King".
Other depictions of Elves explain them as being as tall as humans and hair and eye color can be just about any color imagined. World of Warcraft shows Elves with long, pointed ears that flop when they run. I don't like many of those Elves. But their skin color is different, whether it is a Night Elf with glowing eyes or a Blood Elf with an arrogant attitude.
Personally, my Elves are as tall as humans, have just the right amount of point to their ears to indicate their race. They can't get drunk unless they consume at least ten times as much as a normal human and they don't age. They can be killed, of course. Any life can be taken. However, if an Elf lives to a ripe old age of a thousand years and has decided enough is enough, they can choose to leave their current existence and allow their energies to return to the earth.
How do you imagine Elves? What makes yours different from what people consider "The Norm"?
The Elven race has always intrigued me. Even though I never read Tolkien's books until much, much later in life, his perception of the race is exactly how I imagined them.
Of course, I have my differences to the race. Every fantasy author will see them differently. But for world building purposes, let's take a look at some of the differences in the fantasy genre.
ElfQuest: Wendy and Richard Pini portrayed Elves as being smaller than humans, almost the size of a child. They didn't start off that way. The "High Ones" were not just the very first Elves, they were significantly taller in stature. They had a thumb and three fingers, they could speak telepathically, (called "sending") and if and when they discovered their true Life Mate, the term for discovering them was "Recognized". Each would Recognize the other's soul or "true self". Their existence was explained as a "spaceship" crash.
Tolkien: The Elves in Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" are magical beings. Fair haired, graceful beings. Some with dark hair. They didn't vary much in color or stature. They looked like any other human being with pointy ears being the only exception to their appearance. They did not feel cold or intoxication. They were light of foot, as displayed by Legolas' walking on top of snow or lightly leaping from the ship in "Return of the King".
Other depictions of Elves explain them as being as tall as humans and hair and eye color can be just about any color imagined. World of Warcraft shows Elves with long, pointed ears that flop when they run. I don't like many of those Elves. But their skin color is different, whether it is a Night Elf with glowing eyes or a Blood Elf with an arrogant attitude.
Personally, my Elves are as tall as humans, have just the right amount of point to their ears to indicate their race. They can't get drunk unless they consume at least ten times as much as a normal human and they don't age. They can be killed, of course. Any life can be taken. However, if an Elf lives to a ripe old age of a thousand years and has decided enough is enough, they can choose to leave their current existence and allow their energies to return to the earth.
How do you imagine Elves? What makes yours different from what people consider "The Norm"?
